This Hague Talk was a public debate organised in cooperation with the Clingendael Conflict Research Unit and with the support of the Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law (KPSRL). This event was held in French. 

The people of Mali use a vast array of justice mechanisms to resolve their conflicts. Given the weakness and inadequacy of state institutions to provide justice to the Malian people, informal systems are the main justice providers throughout the country. Considering the ongoing conflict, the deprecation of traditional values, the growing corruption, and the weak relationship between state and non-state justice, this is a timely moment to organise a dialogue about access to justice in Mali. This event aims to debate whether informal systems are still able to provide justice to the Malian people and what role they can still play in conflict resolution.

Guest speakers were:
Mamadou Ben Chérif Diabaté – Mr Diabaté is a Malian traditional chief and dispute mediator. Mr Diabaté is also the founder of RECOTRADE, the largest nongovernmental organization of traditional communicators in West Africa.

Judge Fatoumata D. Diarra – Ms Diarra is a Malian lawyer and judge and the Former Vice-President of the International Criminal Court. She has held the of position of national director of the Justice Department of Mali and sat on the bench of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Cheick Harouna Sankaré – Mr Sankaré is an imam, a mayor and a dispute mediator from Mali’s central region of Mopti. He is also the president of the Movement for the Union of Malians that promotes local development initiatives in order to enhance peace throughout the country.

In the framework of the visitors programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fourteen African journalists were present to take part in the discussion.

This debate was broadcasted via livestream.